Change With Time
by D-D Dreamer
Summary: Deuce has kept a secret from Class Zero for a long time. She seems to know when missions will happen, she's a peacemaker to her teammates, and she seems over protective of her friends, especially over Ace. Events will unfold but there will be a change or Deuce will die trying to right all the wrongs. (Discontinued.)
1. The New Cycle

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a Final Fantasy Type 0 fanfiction since I dislike the ending so much. Talk about tears I wept when I discovered that my favorite characters die and the ones who get to live, well, I question whether they deserve the chance. I want Ace, Deuce, Eight, Seven, Trey, Queen and the other official Class Zero members to live. Thus, I decided to write my intake of the game. There's going to be room for slight change or at least I hope so. Enjoy reading and if you do leave comments, please no flames. Thanks. Now, on with the story.**

* * *

There were some things worth fighting for no matter the cost. Even if one's life was on the line. Because seeing someone else's happiness was better than seeing to your happiness.

I knew this better than anyone.

But I never acted upon it.

Instead I lived with the same events going on and on again. I watched it from afar and up close. And there was nothing I could do but let the events take their course.

Just like how we all, Class Zero, used the last our strength to hoist our weapons into a standing position. We leaned our weakened, bloodied, and battered bodies against the weapons like some podium. Then we waited for our end. Already King, Queen, Sice, Eight, Seven, and the others drifted into their endless dreams. Ace and me were the only ones left. He was holding on for their sake, seeing that they didn't die alone. Even in death, he was seeing to their happiness, like he was seeing to mine.

He was waiting for me to forever shut my eyes.

Little did he know that I wasn't like him or the others.

I won't die here and now.

I was only an observer, watching the events play over and over again like some twisted game. But I was forced to live the events with them and keep all the knowledge about what was going to happen to them a secret.

There was nothing I could do but hear the howling of the wind outside. I slightly shifted my bloodied hands through the crumbles of debris on the floor. I wheezed in air into my lungs and coughed as some blood trickled from the side of my lips. Ace slightly angled his head to me. His pale eyes flickered to mine with pain and concern. He flinched and dreadfully coughed as he struggled to breathe. He was trying to hold on for my sake.

I winced as I strained to smile at him.

'It's almost over,' I reminded myself. 'This is nothing new.'

I shifted my gaze to the sky. The heavy weight on my chest pressed down, taking the little air I had left. I took in the sky; noted it was cloudy and grey. A cry pierced the quietness of the room and I saw a black bird soaring high in the sky through the broken roof. It was my queue to close my eyes and let Ace take his last breath.

My eyes drifted shut as tears fell from my eyes down my blood streaked cheeks. My breathing halted...

And then I was standing before Class Zero in an uninjured body and in a place that used to be our classroom. Quickly, I glanced down at my body, noticing the long black cloak that hid my figure beneath the long folds. I opened my hands so that my palms faced me to notice they were free from blemishes. I raised my eyes to him and saw him staring at me with a shocked expression on his handsome face. Then the light faded from his eyes. His hands fell limp at his sides as the dust drifted in the breeze.

More tears pooled in my eyes. They were all sitting next to each other, in their bloody and torn clothes. Some of them held hands. Others leaned against each other. They fought together and they died together as Class Zero.

I couldn't watch the scene anymore and I turned away from the gruesome sight. It was one I would never get use to no matter what.

"Good job, dear sister," a male's voice broke out from next to me. I lowered my head to cover my tears. My hands clenched into fists while I bit my lip with my teeth to hold in an outburst. The last thing I needed was for Joker and Tiz to know how much Class Zero deaths affected me. None of them deserved to die. I didn't deserve to live.

"Are you sure? This is something I'll never get use to," replied a feminine voice from my other side.

"Oh, come on Tiz. How many times have we watched this?" Joker asked. I could imagine him crossing his arms over his chest. Although he wore a cloak similar to mine, his was more pronounced in the Academy attire whereas mine was just a normal one.

"Let me guess," the girl answered him. She was dressed in the same attire as him. I knew how she thought about things. She would put a finger to her lips while she pondered.

"One hundred and nine times," I answered for them.

There was a moment of silence as I felt the weight of their gazes on me. I was aware the cycle Class Zero had; life and death happened numerous times, but Joker and Tiz lost count of it. I didn't. Their number of deaths was a countless reminder of how helpless I was while witnessing their deaths. Their number of deaths was a memory. It plagued me like a disease.

As Eight would say, their deaths could only serve as a memory.

"Sometimes you're scary," Joker told me. A strong arm wrapped around me. "But that comes with actually being with them."

"Unlike you who gets to stay with Mother," I retorted through clenched teeth.

"There is no need to get mad. We all are simply following Mother's orders, right Tiz?" Joker looked to the other female with us.

"Yes, and Mother demands that we get back soon. The others will wake up from their crystal state," she warned us. She unhooked Joker's arm from my shoulders and I was grateful to her for the action. Slowly, I approached the lifeless bodies. Each one of them were in a better place. The only one who had his eyes open was Ace. And he was looking at me before he died.

I reached his pale face marred with blood with trembling fingers. Carefully, I tried to close his eyes while holding back a sob. My vision blurred as I closed his dull eyes, realizing that in this timeline, there was a slight change. Ace never saw me before his death. He always died with his eyes open while staring into the sky. However, he saw me this time. There was no way I could let Joker and Tiz relay this small fact to Mother. If she knew, then she would watch me like a hawk. She would control my actions and dictate what I say to them. I couldn't let that happen.

Mother was not a nice person when she was vex.

And in Rubrum, Mother was a god. Control and seer of the Crystals. She was the one with power to free Rem and Machina from the crystals.

I stepped away from the bodies and lowered my head in respect.

'Please forgive me for the 109th time for being unable to save you,' I mentally prayed. 'I know your souls can never seek peace as Mother controls all of us but one day I will find a way to break all of us from her power, even if it means that I have to go against her alone. It's the only way I can protect all of you and atone for my sin of watching you die countless of times.' I lifted my head and watched each of them. My eyes lingered a few seconds longer on Ace. 'Especially you.'

"Come on Deuce, we don't have all day," Joker pitched in.

"I hate to agree with him, but we have to go. Mother is almost here."

"Goodbye for now but not for long. We'll be seeing each other again," I whispered as another breeze drifted by me. Only it was stronger and I saw the mark they left for anyone who stumbled upon Class Zero. A red flag raised and began to dance in the wind.

I turned away from the tragic scene with a heavy heart.

* * *

"Are you sure we can trust Deuce?" Joker asked his Mother, who was dressed in a tan slacks, a button shirt that showed her ample cleavage and belly button, and high heeled shoes. She was missing the usual smoke in her hand as she had her attention to the floor. "I don't mean any offence since she's our sister," he pointed to Tiz standing next to him and himself, "But I have this feeling she's drifting farther apart from us."

"And you say that, why?" Mother lifted her head to look at him. One perfectly dark eyebrow was raised in speculation.

"She tried to hide the fact that Ace saw her before he died," Tiz backed up Joker.

"Oh really?"

"Why would she do something like that unless she's rebelling."

"That's exactly what she's doing," Mother answered. The light from the ceiling gleamed on her glasses. For some reason, Joker was reminded of Queen. In many ways, if Queen got to live longer, she would have been the one to appear like Mother.

"You're aware of this?" Tiz asked with a shocked expression. Although the hood hid part of her face, Mother always knew her children's reactions.

"Of course," Mother said as she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Mother knows everything."

Joker took a step toward her. "Aren't you going to stop her?"

The beautiful woman merely shook her head while laughter bubbled from her. Joker and Tiz were more baffled at their mother's reactions.

"Mother?" They both questioned.

When her laughter subsided, her expression turned stoic. "Can you imagine being with your family knowing they're going to die a gruesome death? Their deaths weigh heavily on your sister and there's nothing she can do about it."

Joker bowed his head in shame while Tiz put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. She licked her suddenly dried lips before asking the forbidden question. "Why don't we stop this?"

She shook with fright as Mother's expression went from stoic to scary. Mother's dark eyes glinted with steel and hatred was evident. "Because that insufferable Machina insists to repeat everything. Stupid boy, he thinks he can save everyone when he only brings death and destruction to everything he touches. He can't be happy with Rem. He can't live with the pain of remembering the rest of my children. So I'll keep repeating the events and watch him suffer."

Mother turned her frightening stare on her children. Both of them winced as they were targeted by her dark side. She was one woman they never wanted to oppose.

Joker was the one to lift his hands in surrender. "We understand."

"Do you, my darlings?"

They both nodded their head.

"Good, now summon your sister here."

They both nodded again and left their Mother's office in a hurry to get their sister.

* * *

I was well aware of Mother's intentions when Tiz ran into my room, announcing Mother wanted to see me. Soon it was going to be the time when everything was going to begin; the first mission where Class Zero members were the only ones who can use their magic and summon an Eidolon on the field.

It was funny, Class Zero was a myth according to the Academy. But the number zero always meant who we really were. We were non-existent. Just a group of students who faded with time. Rem and Machina couldn't live with our memories.

And sometimes I couldn't help but think Mother was right. Maybe it was better if the Crystal continued to wipe the memories of the people close to us. It was always better moving forward than living with the past. Maybe Mother kept the Crystal intact because I was living proof that I couldn't live remembering the past.

I slowly got up from my bed and I grabbed the long black cloak beside my dresser. I put it on as I made my way down the hall to Mother's office. Tiz followed after me. Her heels clicked on the polished floors of the temporary mansion we were living in.

Joker casually lounged by the main doors of Mother's office. Even when we were on vacation, the time frame between Class Zero deaths and their rebirths, he still acted as Mother's bodyguard. If anyone needed protection, it was us. He uncrossed his arms from his chest and slightly shifted his feet so he was standing at his full height. His swift maneuver didn't bother me. I might not be a physical fighter like him but I was quite capable of holding my own with evasion. Besides, Mother would never let him physically hurt me. Mother needed me more than the others.

While Joker and Tiz were her observers in the Crystal Room, I was the observer on the field. I was the one who relayed all the happenings for each member in Class Zero. Mother didn't know one thing and I was fortunate that I was able to withhold the information as long as I did; my feelings for Ace, the leader of Class Zero.

"She's waiting inside for you," Joker informed me.

"I already know that," I huffed at him. Did he purposely try to annoy me?

"Then you already know what this summoning means?"

I was expecting something from Mother but I didn't have to tell him anything. I kept my expression blank as I lifted a large hood over my head. They followed my lead when the doors opened to the exquisite splendor of Mother's office. She spared no expense on the items and the furniture in her room. I only had time to take in the magnificent desk, the large window behind it and her womanly form before the window. The sunlight casted a halo around her. The carpeted floor encased her silhouette. Quickly, I averted my attention on the plush light red carpet, keeping my gaze on her shadow. Joker and Tiz stood patiently behind me.

As she approached me, I knelt down on my knees and waited for her to say something. Gently, her cold and long fingers curled under my chin and she gently raised my head. I had no choice but to look into her dark awaiting eyes.

There was flash of something in those dark depths. I couldn't place it but an uncertainty filled me.

"Do you know what I called for you, child?"

I kind of did, but I didn't want to assume. I would let her tell me. One thing I learned from replaying the events one hundred and nine times was silence was a way of telling the truth and a lie at the same time.

Mother took the hint and answered for me. "As you may know, it's time to start everything from the beginning."

I was right. She summoned me here to me know it was time to meet Class Zero again. I was going to see Queen, Jack, King, Sice, Eight, Seven, Nine, Rem, Machina and the others. And most of all, I was going to see him... Ace.

"Are you ready?" she asked me as she leaned closer to me.

My mouth was too dry to form words. All I could do was nod my head.


	2. The First Battle

The war in Rubrum in 842 wasn't looking good. So far most of the providences in Rubrum were taken by the opposing force, Operation Apolstle, and they had engineered a new weapon, the Crystal Jammer, that created a force field against using magic and Eidolons. The only ones who were capable of destroying the weapon was Class Zero but we didn't get official orders from the higher ups to enter the battle field just as yet. Until that time arrived, we twirled our thumbs waiting for our existence to be known among the other classes in Akademia.

Dr. Arecia Al-Rashia, also known as Mother, was called to visit Akademia to oversee some troubles. We were all invited to attend the school campus. However, we kept our identities hidden. We stayed in the shadows as we waited for orders by Mother. It was during this time when Classroom Zero was opened to us that I reappeared in my own body. All of us wore our military coats. Our faces were concealed beneath our hoods. I lifted my head and pulled back my hood just a little to check out my friends when my eyes landed on a still figure sitting in the back of the classroom by the window. His elbow rested on his knee as his hand disappeared into the darkness of his hood. I only got a small peak of blond hair that shone in the sunlight to realize that the mysterious figure was Ace.

My heart swelled and I briefly looked away to hide a smile. He was back, as well as the other Class Zero members. I wanted to jump for joy and pull out my flute to play a tune of happiness. But that would cause the other class members to question me. Then word would get back to Mother and everything would turn out to be wrong. I couldn't let that happen this time. Not for the hundredth and tenth time.

There had to be small changes and within time, those small changes turned into a one big one. My main goal was to save them. But how?

My happiness faded as I leaned my forehead against my fists. I started tapping both closed fists to my temple as I was lost in thought. The tapping on my shoulder from the person next to me caught my attention.

"Are you okay?" Cater asked me. I saw her frown from under her hood. I quickly put my hands on my lap as I stuttered to find the right words.

"I guess it was better not to ask," Jack said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey!" I shouted at him, to only realize my mistake. All of Class Zero members turned their heads in my direction. I had created a scene, which caused me to be noticed. Already I was making some mistakes and we hadn't fought our first battle as yet. I lowered my head to hide my embarrassment, grateful that my hood hid my face.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

"It's okay," Seven's voice replied. "We need some fun before we get called into battle."

"That's if they ever do," Nine scathingly remarked. "By the way how I see things, Akademia will go up in flames before we get our chance to show them what we're made of, yo."

"You're wrong, Nine," Queen interjected. "They'll call us before they have a chance to attack Akademia."

"What makes you say that, hey?" Nine retorted through clenched teeth.

"Well, there's the fact that Mother and us were called in the Academy on the day of their battle..."

"And they have yet to incorporate the Crystal Jammer," I included before realizing my next mistake. I clamped two hands over my mouth to stop anymore involuntary information from slipping out.

"Excuse me, Deuce," Queen said as she cross examined me. I could feel her and everyone's stare on my hunched over form.

"I'm sorry," I squeaked, feeling out of my comfort zone among my friends although I went through this scene several of times.

A lithe figure accosted me and I hunched over even more. I wished for the floor to open wide and swallow me from my mortification. "Deuce?" a familiar masculine voice called to me. And I was left wondering how I was able to go on for days without being able to hear that same voice.

I closed my eyes as a stray tear escaped from one of them. "Deuce?"

Other voices began calling me but it was Ace's tone I paid attention to. I brought both hands to my face to wipe away the moisture before schooling my expression. When I felt composed, I raised my head to find myself staring into lovely blue pools of the guy I loved. My breath caught in my throat and I darted my attention to the window.

"Deuce?" he called my name.

"Yes," I finally answered him.

He came in front of me and lowered his hood with his pale hands. The other members in the room followed his lead because he was our leader. This meant I had to follow suit. With shaky hands, I removed the hood from my head until I felt exposed. His face drifted toward my own and my cheeks heated up.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He raised a hand to my forehead and I automatically flinched.

He pulled it away as though he was burned. "I'm sorry," I said again for what felt like the millionth time.

"It's okay," he replied while he leaned back.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"I just feel..."

"A bit nervous," Cinque added in. Sometimes her remarks surprised me since she appeared to be simple minded.

"Yeah," I answered her.

There was a soft, masculine chuckle and my eyes went back to Ace. He lifted his hands to slightly cover his mouth. "It's normal to be nervous for your first battle. Am I right, everyone?"

"Yep," Seven agreed with.

"Yes," Trey agreed. "It all has to do with our consciousness and fear..."

"Shut up," Sice threatened her team member. Trey had a vast amount of knowledge about all subjects, but he took too long to get to the point.

"You didn't have to be that mean, Sice," Eight finally added in after being so quiet.

"You want to say that to my face, shorty!" Sice said as she rose from her seat.

Eight stood up to and began cracking his knuckles. "Bring it on!"

"This is getting interesting," King replied from his seat in the back. A smirk took over his usually stoic face.

"Everyone!" Ace tried to call out to get everyone's attention.

I couldn't take the tension anymore. Not since we were all going to die over someone's belief that he was going to change everything. Then my eyes widened as something dawned on me. Machina was the reason Orience kept repeating itself. What if things changed because someone else simply desired it, like myself? Would Mother truly hate me the way she hated Machina?

I highly doubted it. If there was one thing I knew, Mother dearly loved her children the way we loved her.

I rose from my seat, instantly getting Ace's attention. My hands clenched into fists as I opened my mouth and with a loud voice I never knew I possessed I yelled, "Quiet!"

Immediately, everyone went silent from my outburst. They were shocked at my change of behavior. My chest heaved up and down as my fists pressed against my thighs. Only when I felt a little calm, I shook my head at each and one of them. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves. We're going to fight together for the very first time and all we could do is fight amongst ourselves."

I inhaled a breath as I realized I couldn't say anymore. Ace was the one to finish reprimand everyone. "Deuce is right. We're going to prove to the official leaders of Akademia that Class Zero is a force not to be reckon with. We need to work together as a team because once we get out there, this won't be training. This will be the real deal."

Everyone simply nodded their head, like I did mine and a small smile tugged on the corner of my lips.

I better have everyone cooperating as a team or else our deaths were going to come sooner than expected.

Besides, I was responsible for saving their lives. Machina wouldn't be the reason Class Zero fell. It would be my fault.

Then, we heard some explosions from the distance. Akademia's alert system rang through the school. We all held our breath as we realized that the Milites were closer to home. Voices roared outside the windows causing Ace to walk to a nearby window. He looked through it and frowned at what he saw.

"What's going on?" Seven asked as she got up from her seat to follow his example. The others did the same thing, except for me. I remained in my seat because I knew what was happening. The Milites somehow broke through the defense of our school and they brought an I'Cie on the school grounds. The Milites broke the treaty of involving I'Cie, which meant that our roles of destroying the jammer was about to take shape.

The sound of bombs got closer as screams erupted from the window.

"Seems like Mother was right. Soon we're going to have to break into our groups," Ace muttered under his breath.

"And who are in the different groups?" Trey asked.

"There are three different groups. Team A is Ace, Queen and Nine. Team B is Eight, Trey and Sice. The backup is Seven and Jack. The rest of the group is on standby until further notice," I relayed to everyone.

Then all of a sudden the screams got worse. Ace and the others moved by the school windows to see what was going on outside. I remained in my seat as I could clearly recall the events as it happened several times. The Crystal Jammer was put into the effect. The magical walls that the students erected broke down. The Milites' bullets were hitting each cadet in the body. Many of them were dying as their screams faded in the distance.

I stood up and covered my head with the large hood.

"Ace," I said his name. The leader turned his attention to me.

"It's time to make ourselves known," I told him. He nodded his head. His pale hands rose to put back the large hood to conceal his face. The others followed suit. Ace led the way as we all exited the classroom. Cadets rushed by us in the main foyer, not seeing us as yet. They were too busy running for their lives.

There was a flash of light in Ace's hands as different cards appeared. He picked up one and it rose in the air as the special summon of Odin, the death reaper. With a strike of the reaper's powerful weapon, fire blasted off in the distance, stopping the Milites and the cadets in their tracks. Ace's words echoed in the air. "When nine and nine meets nine, the seal is broken anew and our voices will roar like thunder."

In a next flash, Odin disappeared and twelve of us stood on a pile of rubble. Each of us distinctly removed our coats, leaving them to scatter in the wind. Our weapons appeared in our hands as we all took in the scene of our ruined school.

"We have arrived," Ace finished. We prepared ourselves for our first battle.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry about the delay. I'll try not to take so long with the next chapter. As you can see, the storyline is following the game events but this will eventually differ. This story is written like a "what if" from Deuce's point of view. This is just a perspective of how things will differ. Thanks for reading.**


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